Confidence. Self-worth. Who doesn’t want those things? Yet, they can be oh so elusive. I’m in the middle of creating all kinds of new material to help others gain confidence, because I know what it feels like to not like myself, or to like myself and  still not feel totally confident. So here’s a deep, Read More

Have you ever woken up to your to-do list and found yourself dragging your feet? Have you ever felt like your body was filled with lead and actually doing the items on your list was harder than pushing a boulder uphill? Have you ever forced yourself to do them all anyway, and ended up feeling Read More

Okay, ladies.  It’s time to stop sucking in your stomach. Take a quick survey.  Are you sucking it in right now? If so, here’s the big question:  WHY?  (Really, is anyone looking at your stomach in this very moment?) A few weeks ago, I realized I had inadvertently engaged in this unhelpful habit yet again.  Read More

This post was written by Diane Hunter, an Endorsed Healthy Life Mind-Body Coach.  She can be reached for consults and coaching at diane@afterautism.com. About an hour before the call I noticed a stabbing pain in my stomach.  Twenty minutes before the call, my older son’s caregiver told me she wasn’t feeling well and asked to Read More

The primary reason we end up with chronic pelvic pain syndromes is surprisingly simple.  Our bodies are designed to respond to danger and stress with the fight or flight response.  Two very important things happen when we experience this physiological response consistently, day in and day out.  One, our muscles tighten and clench, holding chronic Read More

So you’re going along, utilizing the mind-body tools, sticking with it, and you start to notice something interesting.  It seems to be working!  You have stretches without pain.  You have longer stretches without pain.  The pain itself, when present, is lessened.  You no longer restrict your eating or activities, and yet you’re doing better! And Read More

In my own mind-body health maintenance plan, I have recently been focusing on being as completely authentic as possible.  I’ve noticed over the years that the more tuned in to my body I am, the more it leads me to be completely honest with myself about myself. Before my years of vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, Read More

I have a cool story to tell you this week.  It’s about the magic of gratitude.  I’ve written several posts about the power of appreciation and gratitude.  I’ve told you how it helps your body relax, your brain create feel-good chemicals, and your overall health improve.  I’ve explained how focusing on what you appreciate about Read More

I clearly remember the moments in my life when I first heard the words interstitial cystitis and vulvodynia.  They were a couple years apart, but both stand out in their vividness.  I spent days and weeks after each diagnosis feeling muddled, panicked, stressed, and confused.  The number one thing I wanted was help and support, Read More

I got coached last weekend by a brilliant coach.  (Master Coach Bev Barnes.)  It’s funny – I forget how amazing coaching is sometimes, and then am reminded when I experience it.  There is nothing like it, really, because it’s a place where you get to be exactly as you are, still be loved, and yet Read More